Storm-apron device.



J.. H. POWERS; STORM APRON DE V IGE.

APPLICATION TILED FEB.11, 1908.

Patented Dec. 1,1908.

4 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. WW M J. H. POWERS. STORM APBON DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED r213. 11, 190B.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

4'SHEETSSHEET 2.

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J."H. POWERS. j

STORM AP'RON DEVICE. I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1908. I

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET a.

'J. H. POWERS.

STORM APRON DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11, 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Patented Dec. 1,190

vofthe apron; Fig. slots upon an enlarged scale, showing a flap JOSEPHH. POWERS, OF ELKHORN, WISCONSIN.

STORIVLAFRON DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1908.

Application filed February 11, 1908. Serial N 0. 415,404. 1 i

'10 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J osnri-i: H. lownns, a citizen of the United.States, residing at Elkhorn, in. the county of \Valworth and StateofWisconsin, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inStorn1-Apron Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to in'i provements in storm-apron devices forvehicles, its object being, among other things, to provide a springcontrolled apron which can be readily manipulated and automaticallyrolled up when not in use.

More particularlythe invention consists in the construction, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figurel is a perspective View of the body of a buggy fitted with myimprovements, the apron being shown drawn out andsecured in protectingposition; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the casingand rollers on line ww of Fig. a; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on linea-o of Fig. 2;Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section through the casing androllers on line 1 2 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical. cross sectionthrough the roller casing on line .2-Z

. of Fig. 2, showing the rollers in elevation;

Fig. 6 is a. detail of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 3, but withthe parts in loclo ing position; Fig. 7. is a perspective detail of theactuating rod for the locking mechanism, the locking lever being shownpartly broken away; Fig. 8 is anelevation of the groovedwheel formingpart of the locking vmechanism; Fig. 9. isa section thereofon line w-mof Fig. 8-, showing a fragment of the locking pin; Fig. 10 IS aperspective View of therock frame-which intercepts and holds theapronroller against the tension of its spring; Fig. 11. is a. horizontalsection through the apron when the side flaps are folded over inposition to be rolled up; Fig. 12 is an. elevation of a frgainent of theapron casing, viewed from within the vehicle, showing the slots forholding the side flaps 13 is a view ofone'ofthe heldtherein underS'JI'lIl )ressure' F i 14- is a top view of the roller casing; Fig. 15is a longitudii'ial section through one of the slots showingin dottedlines a flap portion therein inserted, and Fig. 16 is a side elevationof a fragment of a buggy body showing the apron drawn out to cover theknees of the driver.

In the drawings A represents the body of the vehicle, Bthe canopy and Cthe dashboard. Integral with the dashboard, or secured to it in anysuitable way, is a casing D having end walls 3 within which is arrangeda spring roller 2 which carries a storm apron E.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the roller 2 is a hollow cylinder journalcdupon the axle or spindle 4 which has its ends secured in the end wallsorsupports 3. Arranged within the roller are one or more helical springs5 surrounding the axle and having one end. secured to the roller and theother end to the axle. to the roller and passes thence over the idlerroller 6, and then up over the rollers 7 and. 8 as shown in Fig. 4,these rollers being journaled in the supports or end walls 3 of thecasing.

Revolubly mounted upon the shaft 9 of the roller 7 is a rocking shell 10arranged above said roller and below the horizontal bar 11 which extendsacross the casing between the rollers 7 and 8, as shown in F 2 and 5.The shell is formed with pro; jecting curved lips 12 arranged inposition to intercept and hold the ends of the stick 13 which is securedalong the top of the front portion of the apron. T he shell is heldnorthe roller 8. The, lugs are shown rectangularin section, and againsteach lug rests a spring strip 18 secured to the bar 11. This stripbearing against one' of the fiat sides of the lug will normally hold theshell from turning.

When the apron is rolled down out of the way the parts will stand inposition shown in Fig. 5 with the rod 13 intercepted and held by thelips 12 against the tension of the The apron is secured at one end Fig.4:, freeing the shell 10, which will be turned up by its spring againstthe bar 11. The flaps 19, which, whenthe apron was rolled up, werefolded over upon the apron as shown in Fig. 11, are pulled out andbuttoned or otherwise secured to the carriage body and the canopy, asshown in Fig. 1, the shell 16 being turned by hand over the roller 8 soas to shield it. It will be observed that the ends of the rod 13 projectout through the apron at the corners of the canopy in position vto beinterce ted by the lips 12. -Whenit is desired to lave the apron rolledup again, itis only necessary to fold theflaps 19 over against the innerside of the apron, to release the apron from the canopy and to turn'theshell 10 down so that its lips 12 will intercept the ends of the rod 13.

When it is desired to use the apron as a lap robe, the shell 16 isturned over upon its side, as shown in Fig. 5, so as to permit the apronto pass over the top of the roller without obstruction. The use of theapron in this way is illustrated in Fi 16.

In use it will be foun the apron out a certain distance and then secureit against being accidentally pulled or blown farther out, for, indriving against the wind, the wind will exert a tendency to unroll theapron, disarranging its position and subjecting the spring and roller tounnecessary working. To prevent this the locking mechanism about to bedescribed is provided.

Passing loosely through one end 20 of the roller 2 is a spring pressedlocking pin 21, held normally thrust out of the end of the .roller bymeans of the pressure of the spring 22. ,As shown in the drawings theend 20 of the cylinder is cored out to permit the spring -,to beinserted within the same, and the pin 21 is providedwith an inturnedinner end 23 which forms a stop to prevent the in from being thrust toofar out of'the cylinder end. Rotatably mounted upon the shaft 4 of theroller 2 adjacent to the end'of the pin 21 is a disk 24: which iscapable of being moved longitudinally upon the shaft. This disk isformed with a groove 25 which starts at 26 flush with the inner face ofthe disk and extends around concentrically with the axle fl, growingprogressively deeper towards its other end 27 which is close to the.

r i lhe groove and pin are so starting point. arranged that the pin willenter the groove when the disk is thrust inward towards the convenientto draw comes roller. The disk is operated-back and forth by means of alever 28 having one end extending into a socket 29 in the periphery ofthe disk. The other end of the lever is connected with a rod 30 whichextends within the casing and passes'out through a slotted hole 31therein, terminating in an operating handle 32-. To look the rolleragainst unrolling the. apron, ,it is only necessary to push the handle32 sidewis This will cause the lever 28 to throw the disk 2st in enterthe groove 25. Now, when the apron is drawn out farther, the pin 21 willtravel around in the groove '24 until it abuts against the end wall atthe deepest end 27 of the groove. This will prevent further turn-- ingin that direction,but will not prevent the roller from turning in the oposite direction. 'As a convenient means or holding the flaps of theapron when not in use 1 form the inner face of the casing with twonarrow slots or sockets 33 each of suflicient width to receive one ofthe flaps 19, as shown in Figs. 13 and 15. ,To hold the flaps securelytherein I arrange in each socket a spring towards the roller so thatthe'pin 21 will strip 34 to pinch the flap. In the drawings the rod 30is shown bent at 35 to clear the socket. v I

It is obvious that the details of the device may be variously'modifiedwithout departing from the principle of the invention, the sco ev ofwhich is defined in the claims.

claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with the dashboard of a vehicle,- of end supportscarried thereby, a sprin roller mounted in said supports, idler ro lersalso mounted therein, a storm apron secured to the spring roller andpassing up over the idlerrollers, a rod secured along the free end ofthe apron, and a. lip I rotatably mounted within the end-supports inposition to intercept and hold said rod.

2. The combination, with the dashboard of a vehicle, of'end-supportscarried thereby, a shaft mounted in said supports, a spring rollerrevolubly mounted upon said shaft, a storm apron secured to theroller, agrooved disk revolubly and slidably mounted uponthe shaft, the groovebeing concentric with the shaft and growin progressively deeper, aspring pressed pin ongitudinally slidable in the ad acent end of theroller and having a projecting end adapted to fit into. sai groove, andmechanism for sliding the disk into cooperative relation with the pin.

3. The combination, with the dashboard of a vehicle, of a casing carriedthereby, a spring roller mounted in the ends of the easing, idlerrollers also journaled in the ends of the casing above the springroller, a storm apron secured to the spring roller and passing up overthe idler rollers, a rod secured along the free end of the apron, andspring controlled means rotatably mounted within sockets in position toreceive the end edges the casing in position to intercept and hold ofthe flaps, and a spring arranged Within said rod against the tension ofthe roller spring. each socket for holding said flaps elastically 4. Thecombination, with the dashboard therein. oi evehicle, of a casingcarried thereby, a In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 15 springroller rotatably mounted in the casin presence of tWo Witnesses. ing, astorm apron comprising a front por- JOSEPH H. POWERS. tion and sideflaps secured to the springl Witnesses:

roller elong the bottom of the front portion, EDWARD B. Ronmznnn, 10 thecasing being formed With vertical slotted J. P. CHAFIN.

